Insiders guide to the top makeup trends, Part 3: Wow Brows

In August I was lucky enough to attend the L’Oreal Paris Beauty Workshop, as part of ProBlogger conference on the Gold Coast. The workshop was a fairly classy affair and we were treated to a glass of fizz and a rather decent goodie bag of product. The workshop itself was presented by Elsa Morgan, the L’Oreal Australian Makeup Director. She was ridiculously gorgeous and skinny and wore very excellent trousers. On top of that, she really knew her stuff and was incredibly (and contagiously) passionate about makeup. I thought you might enjoy this three part series where I give you the insider’s guide to the biggest upcoming makeup trends.

Part 3 – Wow Brows

Big ass brows are a definite trend right now. The bolder, the better. I’m talking thicker eyebrows: massive, fat caterpillars of hair dangling over each eye.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit extreme. But good solid 80s-style brows are the go, trust me. And with this trend you are quite allowed to go dark, even if your hair is blonde (Champagne Carolyn should take note – she’s hesitant to return to her natural blonde now she’s let her brows get all thick and full and fluffy but she should embrace it with both brows). Handy.

Famous types and models such as Cara Delevingne love sporting the the big ass brow, but it’s also been a big trend on the catwalk in the last year (Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Toni Maticevski). So, you know, it must be a thing!

We all know that natural brows add character and wow-factor to our boring old visage. And on a more fabulous note, they make us look younger. Truly!

Check out Champagne Carolyn’s recent post on thicker brows on the matter (BTW that woman is a writer of some serious skill, if you actually need a reason to read, please allow me to give you this tidbit of awesomeness: ‘hairy gateways’. Read on chaps. You’re welcome.).

Here are the instructions Elsa Morgan gave us about dealing with thicker eyebrows:

Step 1:

Make sure you know where your eyebrow should begin and end. Use a guide. The arch should line up with the outside of your pupil as shown. (Yes all right I’m tired as a bastard, geez you can see it in the shots, can’t you! URGH!)

Step 2:

Brush inner brow upward and outer brow up and outward. I use a manky old toothbrush. Noice.

Step 3:

Draw lightly from under brow working up and along the natural shape of your brows. Finish brow by tapering this soft line from the top of the arch toward the temples. I’m using the L’Oreal Superliner Brow Artist Shaper. It’s excellent as it is soft, but not too soft and has a really great little wax pencil at the other end to the crayon that you can use to set your brows.

Step 4:

Set the shape. You can use the wax pencil or you can use clear mascara. Or a specialist brow mascara. Or I used to spray a tiny bit of hairspray in my palm and swipe a brow brush into it and then brush the brows. Works just as well as anything to be honest. But I love a bit of ad hoc when it comes to makeup!

Elsa’s Top Tips

Pick a pencil one or two shades deeper than your hair for the most natural result.

The beginning of the brow should be as natural and free of product as possible.

Use a highlighting concealer to sharpen the shape of the outer third of the brow.

How do you like your eyebrows? Big ass hairy gateways?
A bit thin and angry?

Gillian is a marketing savant and brand strategist with over 20 years of experience in above and below the line marketing, digital strategy and creative direction. She is an exceptional people person who loves to collaborate with clients every step of the way to achieve the best possible outcome.
Gillian is also a successful makeup-artist and make-up obsessive who loves to share her tricks of the trade and help women to look good and feel great.

Great tips! I have a tenuous relationship with my eyebrows. I shaved them off once (pre-teen) and since then they have either been invisible (I’m a red head) or I get them tinted and they so crazy dark (with a red rash outline) for a few days before fading to invisible again…